Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-10-08
Washington Letter.
WAsH1NGroN. Oct. 3. 1887.

IeTIdpS L COulu Lol uSlIcI Cyl
this letter than by giving a brief de-
scription of the elegantly appointed
and equipped train that is bearing
the Presidential party on their great
Western and Southern tour, about
which so much has been said and
written. The train consists of three
Pullman cars, connected in such a
way that one can walk from one end
to the other without opening a door
or being exposed to the weather or
other discomfort, and the coaches are
richly and fashionably furnished and
upholstered-among the articles being
a beautiful bedroom, center-table, in
laid writing desk, sofas, rocking
chairs, barber chairs, and several
large mirrors-to say nothing of a
bath omandsmoking compartment,
and to cap the Climax, the cars are
heated by steam from the locomotive
and furnished with electric lights
from the same source. Washington
has certainly never before seen such
a splendidly QUILTED train. Geo. M.
Pullman gave his personal attention
to the details, and the outlay is said
to represent n capital of 100000, and
it is further stated that the President
will be at an expense of $4,000 for
the trip. The party consisted of
the President and Mrs. Cleveland,
Private Secretary Lamont, two or
three personal friends of MI. Cleve-
land, and three representative of the
press. A great crowd assembled at
the Baltimore and Potomac depot to.
see the distinguished travellers de-
part, Secretaries Bayard, Endicott
and Whitney being of the number.
The floral favors to Mrs. Cleveland
were lavish and rarely beautiful. aAi
AT the last Cabinet meeting the
financial situation was exhaustively
discussed, with the purposeto provide
against the possible recurrnece of the
recent stringency in money markets,
and a decided difference of opinion
was developed regarding the author
ity of the Secretary of the Treasury
to purchase bonds not required for
the sinking fund, the result being
that it was determined to refer the
matter to the decision of the Attorney
General, in case there should appar-
emily arise the necessity of such action
on the part of the Secretary, to re-
lieve the money market. hop.
1t appears that the monetary alarm
was more a matter of imagination
!, than reality, generally, for the very
simple reason that the volume of cur
rency was increased seventy-flve
l.. million dollars last year, which goes
, to show that the business interests OF
, the country are in a healthy condi-
ton.
1t is calculated at the Treasury that
the Government has saved in interest
by the prepayment of bonds under
: the circular of last month the hand
some sum of SO, 200, O0O-not to men.
e ton the probably immense financial
n losses it prevented individuals from
suffering.
= The Naval Board has concluded tC
construct at Norfolk the 5000 ton bat
tleship, authorized by the act of Con
y gress, at a cost of 50, 1916, OOO, which is
$l25,OOO less than the appropriation
Il provides. 1t will take about eigteer
s months to finish the work on this
great monster of the deep. rn,.
The organization of department
clerks into State Associations, 0
which there are several, has been thu
occasion of one of the most sensation
al episodes of the present Admins
o o tration. These organizations partak'
of a political as well as a social char
y acter-the real object being to protec
the members in their official posi-
n tons. On being invited to address
u the Illinois Democratic Association
Civil Service Commissioner Oberl!
not only declined to accept the com
pliment, but wrote the suckers
e letter, informing them that the ex
istence of their Association is a viola
ton of the civil service act, and ad
II monishing the members that for sucl
q infraction they are liable to the pen
alties of the law.